cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 31 / Wednesday, February 15, 2006 / Notices 7969 

Dated: January 17, 2006. 

Robert E. Polson, 

Office of the Secretary, Paperwork Reduction 

Act Reports Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. E6–2121 Filed 2–14–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4150–31–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health; Changes to the 

Dose Reconstruction Target Organ 

Selection for Lymphoma Under the 

Energy Employees Occupational 

Illness Compensation Program Act of 

2000 

Authority: 42 CFR 82.32, 67 FR 22335– 

22336. 

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, HHS. 

ACTION: Notice of a Change to a 

Scientific Element Underlying Radiation 

Dose Reconstructions under the Energy 

Employees Occupational Illness 

Compensation Program Act of 2000. 

SUMMARY: The National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH) has changed the selection of 

target organs used in dose 

reconstructions NIOSH produces under 

the Energy Employees Occupational 

Illness Compensation Program Act of 

2000 (EEOICPA) for energy employees 

with lymphoma cancers. This change 

responds to an evaluation by NIOSH of 

current scientific data on lymphoma, 

which revealed that the site of the 

radiation injury can differ from the site 

of the tumor or cancer origin 

documented in the medical files of a 

lymphoma cancer patient. The new 

process for selecting dose reconstruction 

target organs for energy employees with 

lymphoma cancers includes selecting 

the target organ that would have 

received the highest radiation dose from 

among relevant, possibly irradiated 

organs, as determined through the dose 

reconstruction process, when the 

identity of the target organ is in 

question. This change may result in the 

Department of Labor calculating higher 

probability of causation determinations 

for select lymphoma cases among 

previously decided and current 

EEOICPA cancer claims. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Larry Elliott, Director, Office of 

Compensation Analysis and Support, 

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia 

Parkway, Mailstop C–46, Cincinnati, OH 

45226, Telephone: (513) 533–6800 (This 

is not a toll-free number). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Summary of Public Comments 

NIOSH accepted public comments on 

this proposed change to NIOSH dose 

reconstruction methods from January 

19, 2006, through February 3, 2006. 

NIOSH received 15 comments from 

individuals. 

Nine comments expressed support for 

the new lymphoma procedure, 

predicated on the condition that it 

improves chances of compensation 

being granted. 

One comment objected to the different 

treatment of ‘‘structural’’ lymphomas 

(i.e., Hodgkin’s disease, 

lymphosarcoma, reticulosarcoma, etc.) 

versus non-Hodgkin’s and other 

lymphomas. A NIOSH scientist 

contacted the commenter and explained 

the technical basis for these 

distinctions, which in summary is that 

tumor location is informative of the site 

of radiation injury for such structural 

lymphomas. Upon this explanation, the 

commenter concurred with the 

procedure as proposed by NIOSH. 

Five comments concerned individual 

claims for compensation rather than the 

new lymphoma procedure. 

II. Summary of Recommendations of 

the ABRWH 

The Advisory Board on Radiation and 

Worker Health (ABRWH) discussed the 

change and voted unanimously to 

support it during a teleconference 

meeting of the Board on January 9, 2006. 

III. Summary of the Changes to the 

Dose Reconstruction Target Organ 

Selection for Lymphoma 

NIOSH conducts radiation dose 

reconstructions under EEOICPA in 

compliance with the dose 

reconstruction methods specified in 

HHS regulations at 42 CFR part 82. 

These regulations provide for NIOSH to 

update its dose reconstruction methods 

as necessary on the basis of improved 

scientific understanding and specify a 

process for deciding and implementing 

such updates. 42 CFR 82.30–82.33. 

Accordingly, NIOSH has updated its 

method for reconstructing radiation 

doses in cases involving certain 

lymphoma cancers. Specifically, NIOSH 

has changed its method for identifying 

the target organ for which radiation 

doses will be reconstructed in these 

cases, for the reasons described below. 

As required for certain updates in dose 

reconstruction methods, NIOSH 

presented the proposed change to the 

ABRWH prior to implementation. 

NIOSH has also considered all public 

comments concerning this change that 

were received prior to the comment 

deadline, as specified above. 

NIOSH has re-examined the 

appropriateness of the current method 

of selecting dosimetry target organs for 

lymphoma cases in light of the current 

scientific knowledge on the diagnosis 

and etiology of the various forms of 

lymphoma.1 This re-examination has 

revealed that for many non-Hodgkin’s 

lymphomas, there were two problems 

with NIOSH’s previous target organ 

selection method. First, the site of 

occurrence of the tumor is not 

necessarily the site of the original 

radiation injury. Second, the site listed 

in the diagnosis may not actually be the 

site of primary involvement. Rather, it is 

common to list the site of the biopsy, 

which may be selected on the basis of 

medical considerations in terms of the 

clinical symptoms and condition of the 

patient and the ease of surgical access. 

Both of these problems contributed to 

the possibility that under the previous 

method for select lymphoma cases, 

NIOSH could not be certain its dose 

reconstruction was based on the 

biologically plausible organ with the 

highest radiation dose. 

As a result of this re-evaluation, 

NIOSH has modified the selection of 

target organs in select lymphoma cases 

so that the organ that would have 

received the highest radiation dose from 

among relevant, possibly irradiated 

organs, as determined through the dose 

reconstruction process, is used in the 

dose reconstruction. For the subset of 

lymphomas where tumor location is 

informative about the probable site of 

original radiation injury (e.g. Hodgkin’s 

disease, lymphosarcoma, etc.), the 

information related to the site of 

diagnosis will be considered in target 

organ selection. 

This change pertains only to the 

selection of the appropriate target organ 

as the site of radiation injury (i.e., for 

calculation of effective radiation dose 

during the dose reconstruction process). 

It has no bearing on the selection of the 

appropriate Interactive Radiological 

Epidemiology Program (IREP) cancer 

risk model for determining probability 

1 Crowther, M. Consultant’s Report, Dose 

Reconstruction Project. Prepared for the National 

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Office 

of Compensation Analysis and Support. 2005; 

Eckerman, K.F. Target Organs for Lymphatic and 

Hematopoietic Cancers Comments/Suggestions. 

Prepared for the National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health Office of Compensation Analysis 

and Support. 2005. Available online at: http:// 

www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/ocasdose.html (1. 

Evaluation of Target Organ for Lymphomas; note, 

this information can be found under the 

‘‘Miscellaneous Items’’ section on this page). 

cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES

7970 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 31 / Wednesday, February 15, 2006 / Notices 

of causation, nor does it impact the 

cancer risk models themselves. 

This change in NIOSH dose 

reconstruction methods is likely to have 

a substantial effect on certain EEOICPA 

cancer cases involving lymphomas. 

NIOSH will review all relevant 

previously completed dose 

reconstructions for cases that have not 

been compensated to identify those for 

which this new method is applicable, 

and will re-complete these dose 

reconstructions using this new method. 

NIOSH will also apply this new method 

in dose reconstructions for all currently 

active lymphoma claims and any future 

cases. Application of this new method 

may result in the Department of Labor 

calculating higher probability of 

causation determinations for select 

lymphoma cases among previously 

decided and current EEOICPA cancer 

claims. 

The Director, National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH), has been delegated the 

authority to sign Federal Register 

notices for CDC that pertain to NIOSH 

programmatic matters. 

Dated: February 8, 2006. 

John Howard, 

Director, National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

[FR Doc. E6–2116 Filed 2–14–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

Disease, Disability, and Injury 

Prevention and ControlSpecial 

Emphasis Panels (SEP): Developing 

Methodologies To Determine the 

Prevalence of Autism Spectrum 

Disorders in Early Childhood and 

Young Adult Populations, RFA DD–06– 

001 

In accordance with Section 10(a)(2) of 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(Pub. L. 92–463), the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC) 

announces the following meeting: 

Name: Disease, Disability, and Injury 

Prevention and Control Special 

Emphasis Panel (SEP): Developing 

Methodologies to Determine the 

Prevalence of Autism Spectrum 

Disorders in Early Childhood and 

Young Adult Populations, RFA DD–06– 

001. 

Time and Date: 8 a.m.–5 p.m., March 

15, 2006 (Closed). 

Place: Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., 

Building 19, Room 254/255, Atlanta, GA 

30333, Telephone Number 404–639– 

3138. 

Status: The meeting will be closed to 

the public in accordance with 

provisions set forth in Section 552b(c) 

(4) and (6), Title 5 U.S.C., and the 

Determination of the Director, 

Management Analysis and Services 

Office, CDC, pursuant to Public Law 92– 

463. 

Matters To Be Discussed: The meeting 

will include the review, discussion, and 

evaluation of applications received in 

response to: Developing Methodologies 

to Determine the Prevalence of Autism 

Spectrum Disorders in Early Childhood 

and Young Adult Populations, RFA DD– 

06–001. 

For More Information Contact: M. 

Chris Langub, Ph.D., Scientific Review 

Administrator, Office of Public Health 

Research, CDC, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., 

Mailstop D–72, Atlanta, GA 30333, 

Telephone 404–639–4640. 

The Director, Management Analysis 

and Services Office, has been delegated 

the authority to sign Federal Register 

notices pertaining to announcements of 

meetings and other committee 

management activities, for both CDC 

and the Agency for Toxic Substances 

and Disease Registry. 

Dated: February 9, 2006. 

Alvin Hall, 

Director, Management Analysis and Services 

Office, Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention. 

[FR Doc. E6–2138 Filed 2–14–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Administration for Children and 

Families 

Proposed Information Collection 

Activity; Comment Request 

Proposed Projects 

Title: National Child Abuse and 

Neglect Data System. 

OMB No.: 6980–0229. 

Description: The Administration on 

Children, Youth and Families 

established the National Child Abuse 

and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) to 

respond to the 1988 and 1992 

amendments (Pub. L. 100–294 and Pub. 

L. 102–295) to the Child Abuse 

Prevention and Treatment Act (42 

U.S.C. 5101 et seq.), as amended, which 

called for the creation of a coordinated 

national data collection and analysis 

program, both universal and casespecific in scope, to examine 

standardized data on false, unfounded, 

or unsubstantiated reports. In 1988, 

ACYF embarked on a collaborative 

effort with the States to develop a 

voluntary national data collection and 

analysis program to collect, compile, 

and make available State child abuse 

and neglect reporting information from 

Child Protective Services agencies in the 

50 States, the District of Columbia, and 

the territories. The first request for 

annual data was in July 1991. Data 

collection has continued on an annual 

basis. The Children’s Bureau is 

currently preparing the 15th annual 

report based on the NCANDS date. 

In 1996, the Child Abuse Prevention 

and Treatment Act was ameanded by 

Public Law 104–235 to require that any 

State receiving the Basic State Grant 

work with the Secretary of the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) to provide specific data 

on child maltreatment to the extent 

practicable. The legislation specified the 

following data elements: 

(1) The number of children who were 

reported to the State during the year as 

abused or neglected. 

(2) Of the number of children described in 

paragraph (1), the number with respect to 

whome such reports were— 

(A) Substantiated; 

(B) Unsubstantiated; or 

(C) Determined to be false. 

(3) Of the number of children described in 

paragraph (2)— 

(A) The number who did not receive 

services during the year under the State 

program funded under this section or an 

equivalent State program; 

(B) The number who received services 

during the year under the State program 

funded under this section or an equivalent 

State program; and 

(C) The number who were removed from 

their families during the year by disposition 

of the case. 

(4) The number of families who received 

preventive services from the State during the 

year. 

(5) The number of deaths in the State 

during the year resulting from child abuse or 

neglect. 

(6) Of the number of children described in 

paragraph (5), the number of such children 

who were in foster care. 

(7) The number of Child Protective 

Services workers responsible for the intake 

and screening of reports filed in the previous 

year. 

(8) The agency response time with respect 

to each such report with respect to initial 

investigation of reports of child abuse or 

neglect. 

(9) The response time with respect to the 

provision of services to families and children 

where an allegation of abuse or neglect has 

been made. 

(10) The number of Child Protective 

Services workers responsible for intake, 

assessment, and investigation of child abuse